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Tuukka Rask Gets One Year Extension With Boston

Tuukka Rask was on pace to get a nice long contract extension with the Boston Bruins in the wake of Tim Thomas’ decision to not play next season. He served as backup to Thomas and played well when he played.

But instead of the big contract some expected, The Boston Globe reports Rask signed a one-year, $3.5 million extension. Rask is coming off a two-year, $2.5 million contract, so the paycheck is still a raise, but the one year deal means a lot.

Tuukka Rask has never started the majority of the regular-season games in any season in his NHL career, so Boston is right to be cautious about the length of the deal.

CSNNE.com‘s Joe Haggerty writes, “A one-year contract allows the Bruins to make Rask the team’s certain No. 1 goalie for the first time, while also giving them a better gauge of his value before they wheel out big money or a long term commitment.”

Haggerty added that some believed the 25-year old Rask would ink a four-year deal in excess of $12-13 million.

Tuukka Rask went 11-8-3 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a.929 save percentage last year but his season ended due to a groin injury in March. If he can stay healthy, he looks poised to be an ace for the Bruins this season.

Moreover, WEEI.com’s Big Bad Blog reports that some have already speculated a one-year deal is in place to groom the Bruins’ goalie of the future, but they say that isn’t the case.

“Malcolm Subban doesn’t have anything to do with this,” blogger DJ Bean wrote. “The 18-year-old OHL goaltender and 2012 24th overall pick is still years and years away from being an NHL goaltender, so there’s no chance that the B’s gave (Tuukka) Rask one year with the idea of replacing him with Subban in 2013.”